Congress could revive tax credit for wind energy

The future of the Coachella Valley’s iconic windmills hangs in the balance as Congress debates whether to revive a key tax credit for renewable energy.

The production tax credit for wind and other renewables expired at the end of 2013, bringing wind development in the United States to a screeching halt. New wind construction has all but evaporated this year, according to a report from the American Wind Energy Association.

For the Coachella Valley, bringing back the production tax credit could spark new wind development in and around the San Gorgonio Pass. Most of the area’s wind resources have been fully tapped for decades, but hundreds of old turbines are due to be replaced by newer, more efficient models. (complete article)